Something for Your Sweet Tooth

It's Day 7 of our 12 Days of Healthy Foods. Today we climb to the top of the nutritional chart with sweet potatoes. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranks the sweet potato #1 in nutrition for vegetables. The sweet potato's ranking is based on its dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, protein, iron, and calcium all packed into a low-calorie food. We also know that the orange coloring of the sweet potato is caused by betacarotene---a powerful antioxidant. In addition, a baked sweet potato supplies about 20% of an adult's daily potassium requirement, and research has shown that potassium can help regulate blood pressure, reduce the risk of kidney stones, and even decrease bone loss. Sweet potatoes have also been shown to improve blood sugar regulation even in persons with Type 2 diabetes. So if you thought sweet potatoes were only for Thanksgiving, you're wrong!
Sweet potatoes can be baked, roasted, fried, steamed, broiled, or grilled. They're relatively inexpensive, and they make a great addition to soups and stews, too. There's really no excuse not to add sweet potatoes to your weekly grocery list.
If you're reading this in Cincinnati, you know it's pretty wintry today. Wouldn't this be a perfect day for some sweet potato soup? Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market is open every day except Monday year-round. Findlay Market only closes when there's a Level 3 Snow Emergency in Cincinnati...and believe me, that doesn't happen very often. So come to Findlay Market today (1/11/11), and we'll toss in some free sweet potatoes with your $15 purchase at Daisy Mae's Market. Now isn't that a sweet deal?